Jenna Pel
Nov 2, 2026, 08:51 AM ET
With the final matchday of the 2026 NWSL regular season concluded, ESPN releases its final Power Rankings. NJ/NY Gotham FC claims the No. 1 spot after securing their first-ever NWSL Shield with a 2-0 home win over Utah. Midge Purce delivered a standout performance with two assists, setting up Jaedyn Shaw, who scored her club-leading 11th goal in her 100th NWSL appearance. The victory also marked Gotham's NWSL-best 14th clean sheet of the season.
Angel City FC drops to No. 2 despite a 4-1 win against Boston, joining Kansas City as the league's top-scoring teams with 54 goals. Rookie Taylor Suarez has contributed six goal contributions in her last seven games. San Diego Wave FC sits at No. 3 after a 1-0 victory over Bay FC secures a club-record seven-game unbeaten run entering the postseason. Kansas City Current rounds out the top five following a 2-0 win at Racing Louisville, locking down a home quarterfinal spot despite a 32-match regular season home unbeaten streak ending in last year's playoffs.
The Washington Spirit holds at No. 5 after a 2-0 win over Chicago, though the win came at a cost as star defensive midfielder Hal Hershfelt suffered a season-ending ACL injury. Portland Thorns secure the sixth spot with a 2-0 victory at Houston, while Seattle Reign FC clinches the seventh and final playoff berth after Jordyn Bugg's dramatic late goal secured a 1-0 win over Orlando.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing